1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the configuration of a card connector device used for IC cards serving as storage media in personal computers, CF (compact flash) cards used in electronic devices, such as digital cameras, and other cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
IC card connectors are generally used as additional storage devices for personal computers, and IC cards have been widely used as recording media for the IC card connectors.
An IC card is loaded into an IC card connector, and necessary information is written on and read from the IC card. In order to enhance the ease of loading and unloading the IC card, some IC card connectors have a discharging mechanism for discharging an IC card, and a lock member for locking the IC card in a loading position. Further, some IC card connectors read and write data from and onto an IC card after it is detected that the IC card is locked in the loading position, in order to precisely perform the reading and writing operations.
The above related IC card connectors also have a slide member which moves in a card-inserting direction and a card-discharging direction in response to the loading and unloading of the IC card. The slide member has an engaging arm which engages with an engaging portion of the IC card in response to the loading and unloading of the IC card. When the IC card is inserted, the slide member is moved in the card-inserting direction in response to the movement of the IC card.
Also, known IC card connectors include a lock member for holding a slide member in a loading position of an IC card, a pushrod for unlocking the lock member, and a spring member for urging the slide member in the card-discharging direction when the lock member is unlocked. When the IC card is discharged by the movement of the slide member in the card-discharging direction, it is pushed in that direction by the urging force of the spring member.
A known type of IC-card lock detection mechanism includes a detection switch disposed inside a housing. When the detection switch is pressed by an IC card, which is inserted into the housing and is locked in the loading position, it is detected that the IC card has been locked in the loading position.
In the above-described IC card connector devices, the lock member is made of an elastic metal plate, and a cutout formed in the metal plate is engaged with an engaging portion of the slide member. When the lock member is bent by the pushrod so as to disengage from the slide member, since a strong urging force in the card-discharging direction of the spring member acts on the slide member, the leading end of the engaging portion of the slide member becomes gradually worn down and rounded by repeating disengaging operations. As a result, the slide member cannot be held in the loading position.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to overcome the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a card connector device having a highly durable lock mechanism in which a card can be reliably held in a loading position.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card connector device including a slide member which slides in directions of insertion and discharging of a card to be loaded in and unloaded from a housing, a return spring for urging the slide member in the card-discharging direction, a lock member for holding the slide member at a position, where the card is loaded, against the urging force of the return spring, and a releasing member for unlocking the held lock member. The lock member has an engagement receiving portion to be engaged with an engaging portion of the slide member. An engagement regulating portion is provided to regulate the movement of the slide member and the lock member in a disengaging direction in a state in which the engaging portion and the engagement receiving portion are engaged with each other. The engaging portion and the engagement receiving portion are disengaged by removing the regulation by the engagement regulating portion.
In this case, the engagement regulating portion allows a reliable lock operation. Moreover, since the engagement between the engaging portion and the engagement receiving portion can be loosened, the durability of the lock mechanism can be increased.
Preferably, the engaging portion and the engagement receiving portion have an inclined face which allows the slide member to slide in the card-discharging direction. When the regulation by the engagement regulating portion is removed, the engaging portion slides upward on the inclined face, and disengages from the engagement receiving portion.
Even when card discharging operation is repeated, the leading ends of the engaging portion and the engagement receiving portion will not be worn down and rounded due to sliding, and locking operation can be reliably performed. Consequently, the structure of the lock mechanism is simplified, and the durability thereof is increased.
Preferably, the releasing member for unlocking the slide member is formed of a pushrod which slides in the card-inserting direction. The slide member and the lock member are disengaged by removing the regulation by the engagement regulating portion at the push of the pushrod. Consequently, the locking can be released by simply pushing the pushrod.
Preferably, the pushrod has the engagement regulating portion, and the slide member has a first regulating face portion which contacts the engagement regulating portion so as to regulate the upward movement of the engaging portion, and a second regulating face portion which is different in height from the first regulating face portion and allows the upward movement of the engaging portion.
In this case, the lock mechanism with a simple structure is achieved without adding other components, and the locking can be released by simply pushing the pushrod.
Preferably, the lock member is made of an elastically deformable metal plate. When the lock member is pressed by pushing the pushrod, the engagement receiving portion is bent in a direction such as to disengage from the slide member. Consequently, the structure is simplified, and the engaging and disengaging operations can be easily performed.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.